


Is It Really You?

by WeeCookiexD



Series: Writing Prompts [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Adventure & Romance, F/M, Gen, Romance, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:35:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27197252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WeeCookiexD/pseuds/WeeCookiexD
Summary: Based on the writing prompt: You’re vacationing in a city you’ve never been in before, when you suddenly find yourself in a place you’ve been hundreds of times in your dreams. The person you always see in these dreams is there too, and they slowly turn and ask “Is it really you?”Not Beta Read.
Series: Writing Prompts [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1985581





	Is It Really You?

**Author's Note:**

> Spanish to English Translations: 
> 
> mi amor - My love  
> Buenas dias - Good morning  
> Plaza Vieja - Old square  
> Catedral de San Cristobal de La Habana - Cathedral of Saint Christopher of Havana
> 
> Not beta read.

_She awoke to the familiar sounds of music and laughter she associated with the city her dreams usually took place in. The room was always the same, high ceilings, plainly painted walls and luxuriously decorated with expensive antique furniture that often gave her the impression she was in some kind of manor. The first time she’d awoken in the room she had been terrified to touch anything. She smiled at the memory, it seemed like it was so long ago. The dreams started when she turned 18, almost 5 years on and the dreams were still greeting her every night. Usually they were set in the same room, or wherever the subject of her dreams happened to be._

_Rhiannon wasn’t surprised to see the double glass doors to the balcony were wide open, the net curtains shimmering in the golden light from the rooms' many lamps. Like so many times before Rhiannon climbed off the giant bed and made her way out onto the balcony. The sounds of the city grew louder as Rhiannon stepped outside. Rhiannon smiled as she looked over the railing at the festivities below._

_Various flood lights illuminated the entire square hosting tonight’s festivities. She watched as locals danced with their friends and family. Tourists mingled with the locals as if they were family. What she wouldn’t give to be down there if only for a single dance with the man that was strangely absent from tonight’s dream._

_A pair of slender toned arms snaked their way around her waist, a shiver ran down her spine when she felt his lips graze her ear as he spoke. “Hello, mi amor” Rhiannon turned in his embrace allowing her own hands to rest on the back of his neck as she looked into his eyes. His eyes briefly dropped to her cherry painted lips before flickering backup to meet her gaze. She loved the moments they got to spend together and yet she loathed them, they felt so real yet she knew they were only dreams. “I missed you yesterday.”_

_They pulled apart, Rhiannon rested her back against the rail as she watched the man turn to collect his half filled tumbler from the small end table next to the balcony doors. The man took his place at her side, his right elbow resting on the railing as he looked down at her, his storm blue eyes meeting her own. “Sorry love, I got carried away working on my end of year report for uni.”_

_He nodded in acknowledgement, he lifted the glass to his lips. Rhiannon’s eyes were immediately drawn to the splashes of onyx ink scarring his exposed wrist. She couldn’t recall ever seeing a tattoo staining bronze skin. A thick solid band appeared to encircle his wrist acting as an underline to what appeared to be runes. Her reverie was shattered when he nudged his hand against hers. Rhiannon tore her eyes from the tattoo peeking out beneath his sleeve, casting out all invading thoughts about the ink he was potentially hiding beneath that shirt. He offered her his glass of caramel coloured liquid she had yet to taste. She declined. She turned back to lean over the rail watching the festivities below._

_“Would you like to dance mi amor?” Her smile widened as he pulled her away from the railing. He quickly set his empty glass back down on the end table and guided her hands to rest around his neck. His hands dropped to rest on her waist as he took the lead._

Rhiannon awakened with a start, momentarily forgetting where she was. She hated waking up whenever Isaac was the subject of her dreams. Turning over she reached for her phone on the bedside table to hit stop on her infernal alarm. Rolling back over to rest on her back she stared at the ceiling for a moment willing herself to get up. Mustering what motivation she could, Rhiannon then climbed out of her hotel bed to go get dressed for her day exploring all that Havana had to offer.

Rhiannon had been planning this vacation to Cuba for some time now. Ever since she was young Rhiannon had been fascinated with pirates, more importantly the pirates of the Spanish Maine. As she grew Rhiannon’s interests in Cuba broadened upon learning about how the Cuban culture was influenced by the Europeans, African and Native American’s, how the city of Old Havana’s architecture was heavily influenced by the Spanish and Portuguese, and how the revolution shaped the country we now know today.

Rhiannon had jotted down places she wished to finish in a small worn leather notebook, after she had booked her holiday to the Caribbean, Rhiannon had reached out to a local tour company in Havana to arrange for a tour guide to take her around all the places she wanted to visit. Today’s points of interest were all located within the district of Old Havana. Starting with the National Capitol building just off the Parque Central which her hotel room overlooked. Having already packed her bag the night before, Rhiannon only had to worry about what she planned to wear for a day venturing around Havana in the sweltering heat and eighty percent humidity.

Deciding to keep it simple Rhiannon chose a simple red floral dress, Rhiannon collected her messenger bag from the dresser. She stopped at the bottom of her bed and double checked the items in her bag to reassure herself she’d indeed packed everything she’d need for her day exploring this magnificent city.

Rhiannon left her room after she’d lifted her room key from the night stand. The change in both temperature and humidity hit Rhiannon like a gust of wind as she stepped out of her hotel room into the generously lit corridor. Having felt the heat yesterday evening Rhiannon had decided she would be turning up the air conditioning once she reached her room. Even with the air conditioning turned right up her room still wasn’t as cold as Scotland on a warm summer's day.

She took the elevator down to the ground floor to avoid working up a sweat before she’d even made it out on the streets of Havana. When the elevator doors opened Rhiannon’s eyes immediately sought out her tour guide who stood talking to a member of the hotel staff. Rhiannon stepped out of the elevator and made her way over to the woman who would be showing her around the city. The woman’s honey coloured eyes met Rhiannon’s before the woman grinned and waved to Rhiannon, beckoning her closer.

“Buenas dias Rhiannon, I’m Letitia, and I’ll be showing you around Old Havana today.” Rhiannon jumped slightly as Letitia leaned closer to kiss her on the cheek. Rhiannon smiled at the woman in front of her once she regained her composure, almost forgetting that most women greet one another by kissing each other on the cheek as well as a verbal greeting. “Shall we?”

Rhiannon nodded in agreement, she followed Letitia across the lobby and out the hotel. Letitia led Rhiannon through the park towards the Gran Teatro de La Habana otherwise known as the Grand Theatre of Havana in English. The theatre building was beautiful, giant stone pillars supported perfectly chiselled reliefs supporting various white marble sculptures that represented music and theatre. As much as she hated being the typical tourist stopping to take photos of everything, the masterpiece that was the theatre was something she just had to memorialise in a photograph.

Letitia led Rhiannon further up the street until they were standing directly in front of the Capitol Building. Rhiannon’s eyes widened as she stared at the gigantic building standing in the exact center of Havana. The building bore similarities to that of the Capitol building which stands in Washington D.C not that Rhiannon cared, she knew the building hadn’t been built as a replica. Down the side street behind her Letitia led Rhiannon to one of the many classic cars, explaining that the driver would be dropping them off closer to the Plaza Vieja.

Letitia spoke to the driver in Spanish as they approached the man sitting in the driver's seat with the door wide open. The man nodded and smiled as he climbed to his feet offering his hand to Rhiannon. Rhiannon shook his hand, bracing herself as the man completed his greeting by kissing her cheek. He released her hand as he pulled away from her. “I’m Julio” He opened the car door for Rhiannon allowing her to climb in the backseat before he climbed back into the driver's seat, Letitia joined Julio in the front of the car, their conversation picking up for a moment before she turned in her start to face Rhiannon. Letitia then explained to Rhiannon that Julio would be driving them closer to the Plaza Vieja and would meet us later on near the Catedral de San Cristóbal de La Habana.

By early afternoon Letitia and Rhiannon had visited three of the places on Rhiannon’s list before stopping for lunch at a local Cuban restaurant for a bite to eat. The rest of the afternoon was spent visiting the remaining three locations on Rhiannon’s list. It was the last place on Rhiannon’s list that had her stomach in knots. There was something about the images of the cathedral she had sketched into her travel journal that seemed familiar somehow.

Letitia led Rhiannon into the square known as the Plaza de la Catedral from the left corner, to their right stood the magnificent Cathedral of St. Christopher. The spectacle that was the cathedral took Rhiannon’s breath away, she’d seen images of the cathedral but right now seeing the building before her eyes left her speechless. Her gaze lingered on the cathedral a moment linger, her thoughts raced around in her mind. Just last night she’d gazed upon the cathedral but from another angle. Her blue eyes drifted over the buildings to her right, stopping to linger on the corner building across the square as she calculated the view. 

Her breath hitched in her throat when her eyes landed on a lone man standing upon the balcony belonging to the corner building. The man was pacing up and down the length of the balcony, speaking on the phone by the look of it. When the man hung up the phone he turned to face the square fully and settled his forearms on the rail. Their eyes met briefly, Rhiannon tore her eyes away from the man staring at her when she felt someone shake her shoulder.

“Rhiannon?” Letitia questioned, concerned marred her features. “Everything alright?”

“Yes, sorry.” Rhiannon peered back at the balcony to see the man was gone. “Do you happen to know who lives there?”

Letitia looked over to the compound Rhiannon pointed to before shaking her head. “Sorry no, one minute.” With that said Letitia jogged over to the large wooden door that stood ajar. As she waited for Letitia to return, Rhiannon took this time to fully enjoy the atmosphere. Havana was truly magnificent. She now understood why most people who visited the city would say they fell in love with the city. Rhiannon yelped when she felt someone tap on her shoulder, turning she was relieved to see Letitia standing there grinning widely. “So this building belongs to a local artist. We’ve been invited in to browse the latest collection before it is moved to the gallery.”

Rhiannon followed Letitia into the compound, a gasp escaping her as she crossed the threshold to see how the compound opened up to a spacious courtyard, tall stone arches supported the mezzanine level above. The walls shielded by the arches supported a variety of canvases bathed in colour.

Various potted plants littered the courtyard, along with garden furniture such as tables and chairs complete with cushions were set out in the center of the courtyard. A young couple not much older than Rhiannon sat at one of the tables drinking what she assumed to be coffee. They looked deep in conversation as Rhiannon observed them, the woman’s piercing gaze caught sight of Rhiannon, her mouth dropping open. The woman tapped the man's arm beside her before nodding in Rhiannon’s direction, he looked over the same shocked expression.

“Rhiannon, it’s this way.” Letitia tugged on Rhiannon’s right arm motioning for her to follow. Letitia led Rhiannon along the corridor to their right, where another arch in the corner hid a set of stairs leading to the mezzanine floor above. A couple of deck chairs had been folded and placed against the walls allowing people to move about on the mezzanine level without colliding with each other. Men and women bustled around the mezzanine disappearing through doors carrying wooden crates. 

Many glass doors with wooden shutters decorated the wall to her left as she looked down the corridor ahead, another corridor branched out to her right overlooking the courtyard. Letitia walked half way down the hallway and stopped outside a door with open shutters. Rhiannon peered over the white and blue rail at the courtyard below as she walked towards Letitia who had stepped back to lean against the railing.

Rhiannon’s heart beat out of her chest as she approached the aqua framed glass door she knew she’d seen before. Once she reached the glass door, her hand shook as she reached for the handle. Pushing it down she allowed the door to swing into the room. Rhiannon didn’t know what to expect when walking into the art studio. The images she conjured into her mind were nothing compared to what she saw. 

She’d seen this room hundreds of times in her dreams.

Stepping further into the room the glass door slipped through her fingers.

Rhiannon’s sky blue eyes followed the canvases lining the opposite wall until they eventually landed on a man standing with his back to her. The door clicked shut, gaining the man’s attention as he turned to face her. Rhiannon felt as if all the air had been squeezed from her lungs when her sky blue eyes met his storm blue eyes. 

The man she knew as Isaac spoke, that same gravelly accented voice she’d grown to love met her ears. “Is it really you?”


End file.
